


Rockabye baby (I will keep you safe)

by Hetaliafan2000



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe- Modern Setting - Freeform, F/M, Gen, Most characters from Ukraine and on are just mentioned a couple of times, Multi, first time writing hongice and hing Kong is only talked about, not canon at all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 14:23:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15245304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hetaliafan2000/pseuds/Hetaliafan2000
Summary: Estelle was a cycical, teenager that didn't want to face her past. After all after running away why did she want to. But when a mistake filled night leaves her pregnant, and the father out of the country, she ends up finding out thataybe it was okay to let people in.





	Rockabye baby (I will keep you safe)

**Author's Note:**

> I started this in like March and for got about it for a while. All names are mostly fanon/canon names. However there are some that aren't any questions can be asked in the comments below. I will put the names that are mentioned a lot.
> 
> Mihaly-kugelmugle  
> Estelle-iceland

It was funny how life turned out. It was great for some people, people who never had to fight for anything they needed or who had things handed to them on a silver platter. They were usually the true assholes, the ones who were jerks because they could be. She had found out that the kind people were the ones that went through shit and came out both kicking and broken down. 

 

They were the ones that she tried to befriend. Not because she wanted to use their kindness but because she knew that they would never use her. Would never try to break her but would never treat her like she was made of glass. They were her people, she was one of theirs to in a way too. 

  
  


She would be the first to admit that she was a little fucked up. After all watching ones parents get shot in a robbery gone wrong wasn’t ever healthy for someone’s mental or emotional state. Even if she never said anything to anyone it had fucked her up, it wasn’t help by the fact that she had witness the fight that had happened between her parents before they died. 

 

She had been only eight at the time and the night had been filled with yelling. It wasn’t unusually for there to be yelling, but the tone of the yelling was. Never had there been true anger between the fights between them, she remembered being told that her parents had been best friend since they were young and that they were still the best of friends. 

 

She had, childishly, thought that would stop any fights that they had. But that night after her mom had sent her to get in the shower the fight started. She had heard it over the shower and it had still been going on when she got out. She had been curious what they were talking about and so she had eavesdropped. To this day she was thankful that she did because otherwise she would have never known that she had another brother out in the world.

 

Still as the fight went on she had started to get scared, she wanted her brother to come home and stop them from fighting. She didn’t care that it was probably stupid and childish, she wanted it to stop. Because of the fight no one had seen the robber until the robber had made the mistake of tripping and getting her parents attention.

 

Obviously they had at first thought it was her, after all they lived in such a safe area, and so they had moved to where they thought she was. They soon found a panicked thief but before they could even react they were both shot. The robber had panicked and had lifted in such a hurry that they didn’t even bother to see if anyone else was home.

 

She had watched the whole thing from the edge of the stairs, in shock. She hadn’t even thought to tell them that she hadn’t made the noise. She never thought it could be someone dangerous and that her parents could have been in danger. Still she wasn’t quite sure what had happened between watching her parents get shot and waking up in the hospital.

 

She assumed, years later, that she had fainted from shock and that someone had heard the commotion and called in the police. When the doctors and police had asked her what she remembered she told them everything. When it was over she was shipped off to live with her brother. 

 

Not that she minded, in fact one could call her relieved to find out she was going to live with her brother. Oh sure there was going to be other people there, roommates her brother had once told her, but that was fine. She didn’t care she was just happy that she was with the only other family she had. 

 

And for the first year it was find. She got along with everyone in the house, though she had a favorite which was her brother, and it was fine. Sure there were fights, but they reminded her of the ones that her parents had. Fight that didn’t really matter and were really used as a way pass time.

 

Then something happened and Mathias, someone who was loud but funny and made her laugh when she was really sad and Lukas her brother wasn’t there, and Berwald, a quiet person who was shy but had shown her how to make a bird house after she found a sick baby bird that needed help, started to fight. It started off simple but it had soon escalated into full blown screaming match.

 

She hid in her room as the fights grew and when it was time to eat she tried to eat fast so she didn’t have to feel the tension that was in the air. She didn’t do anything, she could do nothing to distract her from the fight. Most nights she cried herself asleep listening to the fight.

 

One night during the fight it became silent. So silent she was reminded of the night her parents died. Something in her wanted to see what was happening, but the other part was still thinking of what had happened before. She never moved from her spot on the bed, yet she also didn’t sleep either. That morning when Lukas brought her down to eat she noticed that Berwald wasn’t there. And she never saw him again except two weeks later when he had come to pick up his stuff before he said good bye forever.

 

The next one to leave was Lukas, her brother. For months she waited for him to come back like he said he would, and when he never came she wanted to scream and cry. How was it fair, that she lose her parents and then her brother. It hurt, when he left, more than it had when Berwald had left though that had more to do with the fact that she had only just meet him really. 

 

Still it was only been almost two years since her parents died and she never expected for him to just leave. Sure she had known that he and Mathias had some problems, bt had they been big enough for him to leave her, the only other family member that he knew about.

 

Apparently it was because all his things had been emptied out if the house except for two letters that was for her and Mathias. She didn’t know what his said but her’s had given her hope that he would back, that he would come get her even if he didn’t want to live with Mathias. 

 

However after it became almost three years since her parent died, almost two years since Berwald left, a year since Lukas had left, she had given up hope. She became cold to everyone except Mathias, who tried to make her happy despite the fact that he was sad. Mathias who now had at least two jobs so he didn’t have to dip into the college fund that he had started for her all those years ago.

 

It made her angry that her brother could just leave them without the decency to say goodbye to their face. She wanted to never see her brother ever again and she wanted him to never come near them ever again. She thought she might get her wish considering that he never even bothered to contact them. 

 

She tried to make it easier for Mathias, she cleaned up after herself and made sure that she got good grades and never mad a problem in school. She learned how to cook so after Mathias came home from work he wouldn’t have to work even more. She never asked for things like new toys or even clothing, and any books that she wanted she could borrow from the library. 

 

In the end it was her fault that he ended up in the hospital. It was on one of the rare days that he had off when she had no school and so Mathias had wanted to bake a cake with her. They walked to the store that was nearby and had gotten what they had needed and were walking back. She didn’t see the car that was speeding towards her as she stood on the edge of the sidewalk until she was pushed out of the way by Mathias. 

 

The car never stopped just kept on going but she didn’t care as some passerby who had saw what had happened pulled her away from the road, from Mathias. She cried and screamed, for him to get up,  _ to be okay,  _ **_to stop faking it,_ ** **it wasn’t funny.** She kicked and scratched her way out of the gip that was pulling her away until she couldn’t anymore.

 

She woke up in a hospital room and when the memories came to her she bolted up and looked for Mathias. Thankfully he wasn’t far from her and was in a bed next to her but the sight of him brought her to tears. He was covered in white bandages, his arms, legs, and even his face. He looked so different that she almost convinced herself that it wasn’t him, but the hair and name plate didn’t lie. 

 

The doctor came in and asked her questions and when she refused to answer him until she was told of Mathias’s injuries he sighed and sat down. He comforted her as he explained that Mathias was in a coma and he didn’t know when he would wake up. He said it was a miracle that he was alive and that she should be happy. 

 

But she couldn’t, all she felt was angry and despair. What was she going to do now, was someone going to find her brother? Was she going to live with a stranger? She got her answer when after she answered to doctors questions someone else walked in.

 

They explained that because she couldn’t live by herself or in the hospital she was going to live in one of their foster homes. She would be escorted to the home after she was released from the hospital and they would grab whatever she wanted from her house then she would “see her new home.”

 

She sneered at the thought, the only home she had was when she was living with Mathias but that was gone now to. She knew that she would never have a home ever again, not unless Mathias woke up right then and there but that never happened. 

 

When she was released the lady had taken her to the house and let her grab as much as she wanted. She took her time, not caring if she made the lady late to something, and was careful as she packed. She grabbed her favorite shirts and pants and stuffed them into her luggages. When the lady wasn’t paying attention she snuck into Mathias’s room and stole some of his shirts and hoodies along with the smelly cologne that he liked to wear. She didn’t really like the smell but it something that would remind her of him and that was all she cared about. 

 

When the lady asked her if she was done she almost nodded until she remembered the ‘Family Album’ that Mathias and her had put together with each other. It was kept high so that it would never be ruined accidently so she had to ask if the lady could get it for her. The lady had a small sad frown on her face after she asked what it was, the lady clearly pitied her but she didn’t care. She carefully put the album in the suitcase before she zipped it up and was ready to go.

 

Both the house and the man were horrible. The house was smokey and was ugly in her option. She hated it but she hated the man even more. After the lady had left the man had laid out all sort of rules, rules like she had to ask if she wanted to do something as simple as using the bathroom to even that she had to wear certain clothing to bed. 

 

It made her weary and uncomfortable but she didn’t say anything as she was lead to her ‘room’. Her ‘room’, if it could be called that, was small and only had a small bed and a dresser. There was no closet or even window and when she looked there was a lock on the door that locked from the outside, clearly if she was ever in the room and it was locked she would never be able to get out without breaking the door down or some how picking the lock.

 

The man grinned at her and told her to get comfy as she wouldn’t be allowed out until dinner. She still didn’t say anything just nodded and walked in, despite that every instinct told her not to, and sat on the bed. The man didn’t lock the door, clearly he thought that she would listen, and she sighed in relief. Hopefully he wouldn’t actually be a creep and was just having a bad day.

  
  
  


A three months later she had multiple cuts and bruises on her arms and legs, her hair was cut short and she was more than ready to leave. After the first night he had started to show his true side. It started out small, a hand on the shoulder or maybe the knee, before he grew braver. She tried to show she didn’t want what he wanted, whenever he went to kiss her she turned her cheek, she moved away from his touches, all while still trying to be polite. 

 

Nothing had worked and it just seemed to get him mad, he started to lock the door at night and wouldn’t let her out during the day. Food was taken away from her and she started to get less meals until she was only eating very small amounts a day. She got skinnier and she was getting tired more often.

 

When he hit her she wasn’t really surprised, she still gasped at the pain though. It only got harder from there, when ever he was mad she was his punching bag. She hurt all over but he never laid a finger on her face or anywhere that could be seen. The only time that he did was when he cut her hair, he cut it until it went to her chin and then made her watch him as he threw it into the garbage. 

 

She never really fell asleep during the night, he stayed up late into the night watching TV and so she always made sure to watch the door incase he ever came in. When he finally did go to bed she practiced on picking the lock on the door using her now basically useless hair pins. 

 

She wasn’t staying here she knew that much, even if she had to run away she would. The streets were better than getting beaten everyday just because she pissed someone off. Still she knew that it would be tough out there, but she would rather that then here. 

 

So when she finally managed to pick the lock in a rather quick time she started to papare to leave. She was glad she thought ahead to grab the money that Mathias had in the house incase of an emergency because then at least there was a possibility that she could feed her self for a while. But other than the money she made sure that she had Mathias’s, now hers as she was never giving them back, shirts and hoodies in the bag she was taking with her. 

 

She was also not leaving without the album or cologne no matter that it might weigh her down. She packed some of her pants and toiletries, that she couldn’t use because she wasn't even allowed proper shower time what was the point in trying to brush her teeth or use something that wasn’t ‘approved’. By the end of packing she only filled her bag halfway, leaving her room to carry more stuff if she needed to. 

 

The night she left wasn’t actually really night, in fact the clock had said that it was only about noon. She had been in her prison as she was calling it when the man, she hadn’t bothered to remember the name, came in clearly angry. He had come in and had, after beating her a little, tried to do what she feared he would try at night. 

 

She fought of course, and that only made him even more angry, and it was only because she somehow bash the lamp that was in the room on his head to daze him that she pushed him off. Because of the dazed stated she was able to push him off and then slam his head into the ground until she was sure that he was unable to get up. 

 

She had to calm herself before she was able to move herself really. When she realized that she had the opportunity to leave she took it immediately. Grabbing her bag from underneath the bed she made sure to kick the man’s head before she walked out of the room.

 

She locked the door to give her more time to get away, not at all worried that he would die seeing as the man was big enough to break it down, and went to the kitchen. She made sure to grab a can opener and then food that would last her for a while if she rationed. Before she left she stole even more money from the man along with some fluffy blankets. Between the money she had before and the money she stole she had around four hundred dollars in total.

 

Calmly, as if she wasn’t a twelve almost thirteen year old runaway, she walked to the nearest bus or train station. She knew that she would have to go somewhere warm, if only so she didn’t freeze in the winter, so she had an idea of where wanted to go. 

 

When she got there she somehow managed to buy to tickets to the warmest state that was in her price range. The ticket lady believed her when she acted cute and lied about the fact that “Mama said that i am big enough to get both of our tickets isn’t that so cool?” She was just glad it worked though she was a little upset that she had to pay for another ticket when she didn’t need to. 

 

Still when she saw another person who was also a runaway she gave them the ticket and walked away. She pretended that she didn’t see them staring at her until they both had to get on the train and then they were separate. She fingered that they would never see eachother again so she put it out of her mind and picked a spot where no one would really bug her and just slept.

  
  


Two years later she was glad that she left before winter had started because according to the news the area she was from had gotten at least one major snow storm each year that she wasn’t there. She had no doubt that had she stayed she would have died. It was a simple fact but she didn’t really think about it. 

 

Maybe the city wasn’t quite as safe as she should have picked but she didn’t care. It was warmer here in the winter than where she had come from, and there was plenty, if not legal, ways to make money. The most comon way for someone her age, fithteen now though she was turning sixteen in a week, was to either work as a smuggler or by selling her body.

 

At first she she didn’t do any of those things, but when winter had come it was a little cold and she would rather have a couple of hours being warm then cold so she went for the second option. It worked, really well in fact and though she was a little angry that this was how she lost her virginity she quite frankly gave up on caring. She made sure all her ‘clients’ wore a condom, one that she brought too because she didn’t trust them not to wear an old one that wouldn’t work. 

 

Since she made it seem like it would be good for them all to wearing one she didn’t have problems. And the times she did have problems, well they soon learned that she carried at least two knives and pepper spray and would use them. She earned a lot of money that way, enough that when she didn’t feeling sleeping with anyone she could rent a room from one of the motels. 

 

She didn’t really do it in the summer, it was warm so she never cared that she would have to sleep outside, unless it was raining. But even then she just used the money that she saved to rent a room, and she saved a lot of money for those actions and so that hopefully she would one day rent an apartment or something that was permanent.

 

She spent her time at the local library reading and using the computer to look up little worksheets that would teach her the things that should be doing in school. Not that she cared really, but she wasn’t going to be stupid and only live with only the smarts of a sixth grader. Her knowing what she taught herself would only help her in the long run. 

 

It was at the library that she met him. Him being Leon who was pretty and had a little wild side that made her like him. He was from a place in China, Hong Kong he said, and was over here for break. She was vague when he asked what she was doing here, she lived here she said, and when he asked her to go to the party he was throwing she said yes.

 

After that they had something that resembled a relationship. Leon had taken her out for food a couple of times and brought her to the movies too. Of course there was the physical aspect of the relationship and they fulfilled that end more than anything thing else. Like always she made sure that any time they did anything they were protected.

 

She had fun she would admit, and some part of her fell just a tiny bit in love with Leon. When he had to back she hid her sadness, and bitterness that someone she even remotely liked was leaving her again, and said goodbye. If that goodbye had more than a little alcohol and sex well, she couldn’t really remember what happened after the second bottle of vodka that they shared. Really it was that night that changed her life only she didn’t know until three months later.

  
  


When she had started to feel sick she put it off as just a bug. But when it didn’t leave, never mind the fact that she was only sick in the morning, and she finally realized that she missed her period she freaked. She went to the store got at least three different pregnancy test and then used them all in some random parks bathroom.

 

She practically screamed when they all said that she was indeed pregnant. Instead she calmly got up threw away the used test and when into a clinic. When they also confirmed that yes the test were true did she allow herself to cry. How the hell this happened she didn’t know, she hasn’t had sex since Leon and he wasn’t even here anymore.

 

It hit her like a ton of bricks, of course it all made sense now. Because she couldn’t really remember what happened the night Leon had to go didn’t mean they didn’t do anything. They both had woke up rather naked but both had assumed that they were protected. Apparently they weren’t or maybe it had broken she didn’t know but now she was pregnant

 

She calmed herself down, thanked the good doctor, took what they gave her and took a walk. She needed to clear her head and a walk would do it. She didn’t pay attention to where she was going, only keeping her head down and walking. She didn’t really think either, but was just breathing and hoping that she wouldn’t have a freak out in public.

 

When she finally looked up it was night time, the stars weren’t showing really because of the smog but she didn't care. She was too busy wanting to laugh at the fact that she had somehow walked to a church. The irony was to good, how could she, a part time prostitute and currently pregnant ended up at some holy place?

 

She wasn’t religious, not really though her mother had dragged her and her dad with her to sunday church. When she went to live with her brother that discontinued, though after he and Berwald left Mathias would take her to his friends house who was religious. Still after all that has happened to her she didn’t really care about some god that apparently thought it was fun to mess with her life.

 

Her feet hurt, she realized so she sat down on the steps. She looked around to see if she recognized where she was, she didn’t, and came to the conclusion that she was one of life’s whipping bitch. It started raining, it wasn’t a drizzle but it wasn’t a storm either. The water was warm though and so she didn’t really mind she was just glad she had put her stuff in a room and didn’t bring it with her earlier.

 

That thought brought her to the problem at hand. She didn’t know what to do, how could she? Despite being more mature than most of the kids her age she was only sixteen. She was sixteen, didn’t have a job, didn’t even have a real education. She couldn’t even turn to any of her family seeing as they were either dead, should be dead, or was nowhere to be found. It was a shit situation that she didn’t know how to fix.

 

She didn’t know how long she sat there, it could have been minutes or even hours, thinking about what she was going to do when a hand was put on her shoulder. She startled and made a move to defend herself when the person backed off. With hands up a man who couldn’t have been that much older then her, she thought he looked to be around twenty five or so, tried to calm her down.

 

The man was pretty, with brown hair that was wavy and went to his shoulders. He was wearing dark pants, a white button up shirt, and was holding an umbrella. He wasn’t eyeing her body, despite the fact that she wore a very short dress and her boots, which made her rather happy.

 

“Ah, I’m sorry if I scared you miss. But I was worried about you being in this rain. Would you like to come inside and dry off?”

 

She couldn’t help but blink, this man wanted her to go into the church? Why? She had to look like a mess, the rain probably smudged her makeup and her clothes were also out of whack. She hesitated to answer, after all he was a stranger and she knew not to trust people that she didn’t know.

 

But she has been alone for a long time, she really wanted at least some comfort. So she nodded and said, “Yes please, thank you.”

 

The man smiled and lead her into the church, warm air immediately went over her as she walked in. She was lead to another room and the man handed her a towel, then he moved to a closet and grabbed clothing before handing them to her. 

 

“Here, you can dry off and change in here. My name is Toris so if you just call out to me when your done i will come.”

 

She blinked and nodded, “Thank you.”

 

The man, Toris she reminded herself, smiled and nodded back before walking out to give her privacy. When she was alone she quickly dried off and changed into the clothing that Toris had given her. She walked out carrying her wet clothes in one hand and the towel in the other. 

 

She looked around but found herself alone, “Uh Mr. Toris? You here?”

 

It would just be her luck that she would be ditched. She almost screamed and jerked back as Toris suddenly appeared. He was carrying a tray of food and a plastic bag, he smiled and handed the bag to her. She took it and put her clothes in it before turning to Toris.

 

Toris then lead her into another room, this one filed with tables and chairs, and set the tray of food in front of her. He encouraged her to eat and while she did he filed the silence with idle chatter. She ate slowly, and asked simple questions, like if they were the only ones here or what exactly does Toris do. Toris answered her questions eagerly, and even asked questions himself. 

 

The questions weren’t invasive, just little things like if she was cold, was the food okay, and even if she was alright. By the time she finished her food she was feeling full and content, happy even, and didn’t feel like leaving just yet. She knew that she would have to but right now she didn’t want to go back outside and remember that she was alone. 

 

She was brought out of her thoughts when Toris asked a question. “I’m sorry could you repeat that, I wasn’t really paying attention.”

 

Toris nodded, “That’s okay, I just asked if you wanted to talk about why you were in the rain. You don’t have to, but I hear that it’s good to talk about things.”

 

“Ah,” she knew that it was a little weird for someone to be out in the rain like she had been and she was surprised that it took him this long to ask. She didn’t want to answer, didn’t want to let anyone know that she fucked up, but well. Toris had been kind, and it has been such a long time since anyone has been kind to her, that she didn’t want him to think that she was ungrateful. She also refused to be called a coward so she took a deep breathe and just let it all out. 

 

Well not all of it just enough for Toris to know that she lived on the streets and that she was pregnant. He took it well, all things considering, and when she was done he even gave her a hug. Then he got up and grabbed a few papers, some of them were flyers but one was just blank computer paper, and a pen and handed them to her.

 

“Here,” he said as she took the papers. “I can’t tell you what to do but I can help you know what your options are.”

 

She mumbled a thanks as Toris took the pen and wrote down her three choices. “You can of course keep the baby and raise it. But if don’t want the baby there are other ways, abortion if that's what you think is the best, but there are adoption agencies out there.”

 

She was surprised that he would even talk about abortion like it was an option, he didn’t look like he would approve of it. Still she was thankful that he would help her, and she couldn’t help the tears in her eyes. 

 

“Thank you, I. I don’t know what I am going to do.”

 

Toris looked at her with understanding eyes, “Your welcome Miss. Ella. Whatever you choose, you will always be welcomed here. How about we go over the pros and cons of each choice, that way you can make a choice based on that and what you want.”

 

She took in a deep breath to calm herself and squared her shoulders. Nodding she pulled her chair in some more and moved the tray of food to the side. Toris smiled at her, and then they both got to work.

  
  


A week later she sat next to a woman who was a friend of Toris in church. She wouldn’t have been here if it wasn’t for Toris and she still wasn’t really religious but well she felt like she owed him. After a couple of hours going through the pros and cons she still didn’t know what she wanted but she at least narrowed it down. 

 

Abortion was out unless she wanted to get a back alley one and possibly die in the process. It was out mainly because if she did have one she would have to tell her guardian, which was hard considering she didn’t have one. And even if she did have a guardian she would have to pay for it herself. 

 

This of course lead her to have only two other options. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do, but seeing how both options required that she carry the baby to full term she had a while to decide. Meanwhile before she had it she was acting as a in house babysitter for Toris’s friend, Elizabeta and her husband. 

 

It was a better deal than she ever thought she would get, she got a stable place to live while she carried the baby and she was getting money to. Toris’s friends were also kind, as were their adopted son, and they never looked down on her for what she had to do nor how she looked. 

 

Elizabeta put a hand on her shoulder bringing her out of her thoughts. She smiled and nodded her head to say that she was fine and not to worry. Elizabeta nodded but offered her a water bottle which she took gratefully. The family of three have been making sure that she was eating and drinking enough since she came into their lives and she couldn’t help but be happy that they cared.

  
  
  


She was cleaning the kitchen after cooking breakfast when Mihaly, her charge, walked in. He was carrying a little notebook and one of his many sketchbooks, it wasn’t unusually that he was carrying them however the worried look was. She eyed him as he sat in a chair and put his books on the table in front of him, he didn’t look up at her and that worried her.

 

She carefully set the dish she had been cleaning down and dried her hands on her apron. She walked over and sat in the second chair next to Mihaly, he didn’t do anything just fiddled with the hems of his shirt. Mihaly liked to talk about art and what he thought about art, but otherwise he was a silent so she knew that she might have to ask the first question. 

 

Before she could though, Mihaly looked up at her, eyes wide with confusing, “Aunty Ella, I need help with a school assessment.”

 

She raised an eyebrow, Mihaly while not getting straight A’s in school did pretty well and never really asked for help. For him to come to her when if he ever needed help he usually went to his parents was worrying. She had a feeling that this wasn’t just a school assessment but she wasn’t about to point that out just yet, instead she got up from her chair and poured some milk with cookies.

 

“Well Mihaly you know I am always happy to help you. Can you tell me what this assessment is about?”

 

Mihaly grabbed a cookie and nibbled on it. He was silent for a moment and clearly thinking about what he wanted to say. He took a sip of his milk before he answered her. “The assessment is about family. We are supposed to do a family tree and write a little summary about our most interesting family member.”

 

She understood his problem then, Mihaly was adopted and he knew that so now the problem was how was he going to make a family tree. Was he going track down who his biological family was and go that route, or was he going to use Elizabeta and Roderich family for this project? Still while this was Mihaly’s choice she knew that she could help.

 

“Ah, I see. You are not sure if you should use the Miss’s and Mister’s familly or track down your own.” 

 

Mihaly looked up at her, worry was in his eyes. “Well, I would like to track down who my parents were but I don't know how to tell Mom and Dad. I mean would they say no? Or would they be mad that I want to know?”

 

She put a hand on her stomach as she thought, She didn’t think that her employers would get mad or say no. They were both wonderful people, though they did have their flaws like everyone else, and she knew that the two of them loved Mihaly. Now she just had to convince Mihaly that.

 

“Well while I can’t say that they might say no, I can say that they love you. And that they both want your happiness. I think that you will just have to ask them, I can be there with you if you want.”

 

“Really? You will?” 

 

Mihaly’s eyes were wide and his bangs framing his face, it made him look younger than he actually was. She smiled down at him and nodded before she got up and started to walk to the sink again. 

 

“I’ll tell ya, let me finish these dishes and then we can make a cake.”

 

“With icing? Please?”

 

“Of course, Why don’t you go and clean up while I finish these? By the time you get back I’ll be done.”

 

“Okay.”

  
  
  
  
  


One week later, she was looking at the results of who Mihaly’s father was with shock. Like she thought Elizabeta and Roderich had no problem with Mihaly finding out his heritage. They even were a little happy that he wanted to know where he came from. So they helped him find his first birth certificate.

 

It took about two weeks to actually get the original birth certificate but it was here now and well they were all a little shocked. After all it wasn’t everyday that one saw the name of your father on someone’s birth certificate. She had, of course, told her  employers of her family and why she wasn’t living with any of them. She told them that her parents were dead, and the only family that she knew of was somewhere in the world after they either left or were hurt. 

 

She never went into details, but she did give her parents names to them. Right now her employers were sitting in front of her, Mihaly was at school when the birth certificate arrived so when they opened it and saw her father’s name they immediately showed it to her. 

 

She glanced up and with a wince she asked, “How likely is it that someone had the same name as my father?”

 

Roderich gave her an awkward look but clearly he could understand why she asked. Elizabeta on his right smiled at her before saying, “Not all that likely.”

 

She sighed but she knew that was probably the answer. She looked down at the certificate before carefully putting it back into the envelope. As she did Roderich put his hand on hers and squeezed it. When she looked up he said, “We could get a DNA test done for you two. Just to see if you are related.”

 

Elizabeta nodded her head. “Yeah, my younger nephew works as a forensics teacher, and he always says how how he wished he could have more DNA to teach with. I bet if we ask he would be willing to do it himself. We could spin it as a way for him to show his newer kids on how to do a DNA test.”

 

She was amazed that Elizabeta could come up with a plan so fast, still with Roderich clearly seeing that it could work, and having no complaint about it, she went along with it. Elizabeta smiled before she went to call her nephew and Roderich went to his music room to go play his piano. She on the other hand went to the kitchen to make desert for to night.

 

Again, it took awhile for the results to come in but less time than before. It probably had to do with that it was family doing the testing and therefore was done first before anything else but in the end the results was in a week after they asked. Ludwig, the nephew that did the testing, was a tall male with blonde hair and blue eyes. At first glance you would think that he would be the one catching the criminals not in a lab. 

 

However that was what he did, and when the test results did come instead of just mailing the results he came in person. It was right before lunch and she had been skinning potatoes when he had knocked. She had set everything down and opened the door, when Elizabeta had come down. Twenty minute later she was pouring coffee and listing to the results. 

 

Elizabeta had squeezed and grabbed her into a hug, babbling about how they were now family and something to do with shopping. She was just in shock about the fact that she had a little brother, she had known in a way that she had one. The fight that her parents had before they died made that clear, but she never really understood it. In her mind her family was made up of her parents, Lukas, and Mathias, never had she thought about the reason for the fight. 

 

But here were the results, she had a little brother and she was shocked. Still when Elizabeta let her go and started to ask if Ludwig wanted to stay for lunch she shook the shock off and said she was going to continue lunch. She gave Ludwig a smile before she left to show him her thanks but otherwise didn’t say anything. She hoped he stayed for lunch though as she wanted to do something to pay him back.

  
  


She was seven months along when she first met Mihaly’s teacher, normally Elizabeta or Roderich picked him up but Elizabeta was held up at the hospital and Roderich was forced to meet with an employer who wanted him to play at a wedding. So with no one available she took one of the cars and drove to the school. 

 

She had gotten out and was waiting by the car, ignoring the looks others gave her, when Mihaly appeared. She went to open up the door to help him get in, not that he needed it nor could she help much, when he grabbed her hand and started to drag her somewhere. She raised an eyebrow before asking if there was somebody he wanted her to meet. 

 

Mihaly stopped just a second and looked at her to say that his teacher wanted meet the person picking him up. There was a small blush on his cheeks that she ignored for a moment and instead nodded and thought of why his teacher wanted to talk with her.  All she could think of was if his grades have gone down, he got in trouble, or something along these lines. 

 

Mihaly stopped at a door that was covered in pictures and large letters saying welcome. He opened up the door for her and let her in before taking her to his teacher. Said teacher was only a little smaller than her if she had her favorite boots on, blonde hair and an icy blue color eyes were the first thing she saw. The next was the smile that directed at her along with the hand to shake. 

 

“Hello, I’m Mihaly’s teacher, Mr. Vinno. Are you his relative?”

 

She shook his hand and answered, “I’m his sister, Estelle. Usually his mother or father pick him up but they weren’t free at the moment, I hope this won’t be an issue?”

 

“No, no I just wanted to talk with someone about the person he did his essay on. The one about one of his relatives. Oh and please sit down.”

 

Mr. Vinno guestered to the chairs, and she took one gratefully. Mihaly went to the seat near the window and started to draw. She focused on the teacher and tried to think of anything that would have concerned him. After finding out that they were related Mihaly asked her all sorts of questions about their shared family, but she never knew who he actually wrote about.

 

“Oh? Yes i know that he had to write about one of our relatives. But is something wrong about it?”

 

“Well no not really,” the teacher looked down as he pulled something out of a drawer. It was stapled paper, about three or four pieces of them. Mr. Vinno laid it down in a position that she could read. “In fact it was quite good, however I wanted to know if you knew what he wrote about.”

 

The top of the page was a header but below that was the title of the essay. In bigger than normal font was the words, “The Strongest Person I Know, My Sister”. She read the first sentence before looking up at the teacher. She knew that she was blushing horribly but at the moment it didn’t matter. 

 

“No, I didn’t know who or what Mihaly had written about, I am not sure about his parents though. They might have helped him.”

 

Mr. Vinno nodded but he still had a smile on his face, he took the essay back but instead of putting it back into the drawer he put it into an envelope before handing it back to her. She carefully took a hold of it before setting it in her lap, she still didn’t know what the teacher wanted though and asked. 

 

The teacher blushed before shaking his head and saying, “Ah, well I wanted to tell you that his essay has put him at the top of his class, and he earned a spot in the graduation ceremony for later in the month.” 

 

She blinked and looked at Mihaly, he was still drawing but now he had a small blush on his face. Still he didn’t say anything so she turned to the teacher and nodded. “Thank you for telling me, I will make sure that his parents know. Is there anything else?”

 

Before she could get a response the door flew open and a cry of uncle Tino flooded the room. She looked to see a small boy, a little shorter than Mihaly, with blonde hair run to the desk where Mr. Vinno was and throw himself at the teacher. Behind the boy another figure appeared before walking in. She on the other hand was frozen in place.

 

Because she knew that figure, even if it had been years since she last saw him and had only known him for a year at least. With blonde hair, blue eyes behind glasses and the slightly cold expression it was obvious who it was. It was even confirmed by Mr. Vinno when he glanced up at the the figure and said “Berwald”.    
  


Berwald nodded back, and she used them talking to each other as a way to tell Mihaly that they were leaving. Mihaly had looked up when the door was opened and so knew the minute that she was ready to leave. He had silently got up and put his arm around hers, she squeezed his hand and gathered up her courage. 

 

To get their attention she cleared her throat and when they looked at her, she ignored the way Berwald’s eyes widen and how he clearly recognized her, to say, “Well we must be going, we have a family dinner to get ready for. And it seems like you got company to tend to as well. If there is anything else you want to talk about please just email Elizabeta or Roderich.”

 

Mr. Vinno nodded and looked a little flustered at her suddenly cold demeanor. He nodded and tried to get up from his chair to shake her hand. “Ah yes, I apologies for the interruption. I will certainly email them if i remember anything that they should know.”

 

She nodded to him and said good day, before walking out. She didn’t look at Berwald, she couldn’t, but she did nodded to him to be polite. She didn’t stop her cold glare that was on her face until they were in the car, she also stopped being tense and forced her body relax. Mihaly was in the back but was looking at her with concern, she sighed to herself a little anger that she made him worry.

 

“I’m sorry for that, It's just that the man reminded me of someone that i knew once. How about we go to the store and the ingredients for some cake? I’m thinking black forest what about you?”

 

She smiled to herself as she watched MIhaly’s face brighten up before going back to his usually calm face. Still she listened to him as he talked to himself as he listed all the things they would need. She glanced at the envelope that held the essay for a moment before she turned back to the road with another smile, as she planned to read it later to night.

  
  


She was disappointed in herself that she did her best to avoid Mihaly’s school. However whenever she thought about Berwald being there, she couldn’t help but feel like a little girl. She hated that feeling, like she couldn’t take care of herself, and to her that was a weakness. So she tried her best to never go to the school, and when she did go she always either waited in or near the car. 

 

Thankfully she only went about once every few weeks, Elizabeta and Roderich were good when it came to picking up Mihaly and so it was only when they were really busy that she went. The few times she was there she felt paranoid that Berwald would pop up, or even that Lukas or Mathias would. She couldn’t help wanting to avoid them, she didn’t want to know what they would say to her. Would they call her a whore, for getting pregnant with some foreign boy, for giving her body away when the streets started getting colder. She didn’t think she could handle that, so in her mind it was better to just avoid them and not think about them.

 

It was one of the rare days that she had to get Mihaly from school that she ended up going to the hospital. She had been having contractions all day, however she thought they were the fake ones that she sometimes got. After all she had at least a month until her due date according to the doctor, but as the day went on they got stronger.

 

She had been alone most of the day, Elizabeta was at work, no doubt whipping her minions into working like a well made machine, and Roderich was going in and out of the house talking his clients. So she wasn’t suprissied that Roderich, who had gotten a call from one and couldn’t miss it, asked if she could go and pick Mihaly up. She did, of course, however the drive was painful and she when she got out of the car she couldn’t help but wish that he didn’t ask her to. 

 

She had leaned up against the car and closed her eyes as she waited for Mihaly. It was a thursday so he would be a while as he gathered up his art supplies and said goodbye to his friend so she thought that she could at least rest her eyes for a few moments. She did get a few minutes before she gasped in pain.

 

She opened her eyes in pain and she put her hand on her stomach, looking down she frowned. She was wearing one of her more easier to put on outfits, just a red dress under a blue hoodie. Her legs weren’t covered but she was wearing the shoes that Elizabeta said would be good for her, so it wasn’t like it was her clothing that was causing her pain. Not that it could have been because all her clothing had been evaluated by Elizabeta and she had told her if anything could hurt her or the baby. 

 

She shook her head and looked up when she heard Mihaly’s voice. He was just walking away from his friend, a red head that always seemed to have a device every time she saw him, and wasn’t looking at her. She smiled to herself glad that he had a good friend, she also wondered if she could get Roderich or Elizabeta to set up a playdate for them, when another contraction hit her. 

 

The contractions were coming faster, something that shouldn’t have been possible unless they were real. But she still had a month until her due date, not only that but she shouldn’t have any problems at this moment because she was doing all her doctor said to do. It worried her but she wasn’t sure she wanted to go to the hospital when she had Mihaly to watch. After all if she did go then she would have to take Mihaly with her and she wouldn’t want to worry him. 

 

“Sister are you okay?”

 

She looked up, Mihaly had walked over by now and was looking over her and though it was hidden she could see that there was worry in his eyes. She tried to smile, and ignore the contraction pain that just hit her, as she put her hand on his shoulder. She ruffled his hair and dogged the swipe at her hand as she replied. 

 

“I’m fine Mihaly, I just think the baby is excited for something.”

 

Mihaly eyes widen before going to her stomach, he was always curious about the baby and loved it when they moved or something, as he asked, “Is it kicking?”

 

She went to go answer when she felt water drip down her leg. She blinked and looked down, she could see a small wet spot down on the pavement, before she looked at Mihaly. She smiled, and took a deep breathe because another contraction came, and answered. 

 

“No, but i do think we need to take a trip to the hospital. Would you grab the towel from the trunk and then call your mother, tell her we are on our way and that its a code pink and blue.”

 

MIhaly looked confused but opened the trunk and got out the towel she asked, and got out his phone. She took the towel and laid it down on the seat before getting in and making sure to buckle in. When she was sure that Mihaly was also buckled in she drove out of the school carefully, mindful of the other people still there, and drove as fast as she dared to do. It probably took longer than it should of had another been there but since she was the only one that could drive she only went as fast as she could with the pain she was in. 

 

She parked as close as she could to the hospital doors and had Mihaly help her get out the car. By this time Mihaly had figured out that the baby was coming and had texted Roderich where they were going. Mihaly had then started to go through breathing exercises, that he had found online, to help her through the pain.

 

When they walked through the door she spotted Sofia, the second in command next to Elizabeta, and Toni who was usually her nurse when she was in here for check ups. Sofia waved as she put down a clipboard and walk towards them, Toni to waved and walked over but he grabbed a file before walking over. 

 

Sofia put a hand on Mihaly’s shoulder and made a gesture to where the nurse’s station was. “Hello, Miss. Steilsdottir, Mihaly. Miss, Toni here will direct you to a room and Dr. Karpusi will be with you shortly. Mihaly on the other hand can wait in the nurse’s station instead of the waiting room. Elizabeta should be finishing her latest patient and will take care of him then.”

 

She nodded and let go of Mihaly, she had sort of leaned on him as they walked, and grabbed onto the desk that was there. She knew that nothing would happen to Mihaly while he was here and so felt it was safe. Toni held out a hand, that she took, and helped her into a wheelchair. Before he could role her away she made sure that Mihaly would call Roderich and tell him where the car was and that he would be okay. Mihaly nodded and hugged her before disappearing behind a door, while she called out for him to be good. Toni took that as a signal to take her to her room and talked to her while he did.

  
  
  


It was later in the early morning the next day, it was about six, that she woke up after giving birth. After eight hours of birthing she only had enough energy to hold her children for about a minute and give them their names before passing out. She remembered that Elizabeta had come in saying that Roderich had left with Mihaly and that she was going to help her. She also remember that Toni had helped along with two other nurse’s while Dr. Karpusi was trying to get her to breath. She was pretty sure she snapped at him to stop telling her the breath before she showed him how much she cared for his advice.

 

She shook her head and sat up, there was some pain in her lower back but she ignored that for now to look around. She was moved to a different room it seemed like, there was a window to her left and there was a curtain to her right. She wondered if she had a roommate but put that thought in the back of her head while she looked for her kid.

 

‘Kids’, she mentally corrected, she had had twins though they were fraternal and so would be easier to tell apart. Not that had they looked like each other would have mattered, she was planning to get them little necklaces with their names on it. She moved her legs off of the bed and stood up, grabbing the edge of the bed so she wouldn’t fall. 

 

She carefully made sure that she wouldn’t fall before she moved the curtain to the side, she didn’t have a roommate, and walked to the door. She opened it and saw a hall way, she walked out and looked to the left before looking to the right. The left was a dead end so that meant that the right would lead her to a nurse, maybe. She shrugged and thought ‘what the hell’ before walking that way.

 

She didn’t have to walk for long before she saw a nurse, it wasn’t one she had ever seen but she waved anyway and ignored everyone else. The nurse got up and walked to her, she stopped and waited and before the nurse would ask her if she needed anything she said, “Can i see my children?”

 

The nurse, a tall light blondish white colored haired man, blink before holding out a hand which she took. “I’m sorry to say that first you will have to have a doctor check up on you first but if I could take you to your room i can have a doctor come see you.”

 

She nodded and lean on him as they walked, the walked had tired her out. “My names Estelle Stieldottir, you?”

 

The man looked at her before looking away, “My name is Ivan, now let's get little miss escape artist back to her room da?”

 

She rolled her eyes at the nickname and posted before realizing they were at her room. Ivan helped back into her bed and then pressed a button to single for a doctor to come. Ivan stayed with her until Dr. Karpusi came and then left. She waved goodbye and turned to the doctor so he could take her to her kids. 

 

Dr. Karpusi asked her questions while writing down her answers, when she asked when she could see them he looked at her with a serious looked and said, “You will be able to see them soon though you will not be able to hold them. Because they were born premature we want to have them under carefully watch incase anything is wrong. Right now it doesn’t seem to be which is good, but it’s just to be careful.”

 

She nodded and asked “Is there a reason that i would go into labor early?”

 

The doctor nodded. “Multiple reason, one could be that where you live could have mold that could cause it, though do not think that there would be any seeing as you live with nurse Elizabeta. The second could be because of something in the body. Were not sure of the reason just yet but we will find out. For now i suggest that you take it easy, with you age and the early labor you could have some problems that are not seen yet.”

 

She sighed and nodded before looking outside. Dr. Karpusi walked away but told her that in a few hours a nurse would come by to take her to her kids but that he would tell them to bring up food first. She thanked him but continued to out the window, now that she wasn’t focussing on her children she realized that her room was empty. 

 

She expected it, that it wouldn’t have any gifts that would say ‘IT’S A BOY’ or ‘IT’S A GIRL’ balloons. But it still shocked her on how allone she was. Yes to some extent she had Elizabeta and Roderich, she even had Toris, but she didn’t think that they would really do something. She had no friends, outside of Tois at least and he was busy usually, and her family had no idea where she was.  She didn’t even know if they cared at this point, or if they were dead or alive even. She doubted that they would even care about her now after all these years. 

 

A nurse came in with food and told her they would be by again later to take her to the baby room. She nodded and thanked them before eating at least half of the meal that was given to her. She finale put it to the side and waited for the nurse, she didn’t wait long after she was done as the nurse came in and helped her into a wheelchair. The nurse pushed it for her and when they arrived stepped back to give her some privacy. 

 

Her kids were in their own room and they had name tags on their cribs. In neat writing the names Kaida Estelledottir and Lucas Leoson. She had went for the traditional icelandic naming for their last name, just like her parents had done with her. In her search for a female name she had looked at the meanings before she decided. Kaida ment ‘little dragon’, and she put that as a tribute to Leon. It was subtle as no one but her and Leon would know that as a nickname she had called him dragon. 

 

How ever when it came to a male name she picked Lucas, she had wanted to name her child after both her father and brother, both being name Lukas, and Mathias. For weeks she thought of a way to have it one name, but nothing sounded right. She finally decided that she would just chose later after the birth. And she did because she named her boy Lucas John Leoson, after her father and brother, while her girl was Kaida Matilda Frejadottir, Matilda being for Mathias. 

 

She smiled at the happy memories of her family before the nurse got her attention, she looked up as the nurse asked her if she wanted to go back. Nodding she took one last look at her kids, her beautiful kids that she would kill for, and let the nurse take her away. Only to be surprised by Toris being in her room and caring a balloon. 

 

She couldn't help but laugh,  she was pretty sure that she was still on the painkillers that the doctor had given her earlier, because the balloon was one of those ‘It's A boy\girl’ but in front of the gender was a piece of paper with ‘TWINS’. Toris turned and smiled,  she nodded back as she sat down on the bed, and handed her the balloon. She took it and tied it to the bedside before turning to Toris. 

 

“Thank-you for coming.”

 

“Of course, I can't miss one of my best friends giving birth.” 

 

Toris smiled as he called her his best friend, it caused her to tear up and smile before she shook her head.  She engaged Toris in some light chatter catching up and talking about what had happened in church and how was Feliks doing? Feliks was fine, he was having fun making up what he called cute and fashionable baby clothing, having been apparently inspired by her and her kids.  Never mind that he didn't even know what they looked like, she promised Toris that when they were out of the hospital she would send pictures of the two of them to Toris and Feliks. It was then that sue asked if Toris would take care of her baby's should something happened to her and they couldn't go to Leon, she put his name on the birth certificate so it wasn't like he would not know of his kids if she didn't run into him later in life before something happened to her. 

 

Toris looked at her shocked before smiling, he nodded and it felt like a good amount of stress was lifted from her.  It wasn't that she didn't trust Elizabeta and Roderich, but they were already taking care of Mihaly and was letting her stay with them until she was actually an adult and could afford her own place.  With all this she didn't want to put too much pressure on them, it was already to much of what they were giving her. Still if they're with Toris and Feliks then she couldn't least know that her children would be with family. Because that was what Toris, Feliks, Elizabeta and Roderich had become, family. 

 

Half a month later she was leaving the hospital with her family,  Mihaly was standing behind her and was pushing her wheelchair, she didn't need it but hospital law states that she must use one untill she was out of there, and she had both of her children in her lap holding them. Elizabeta was there standing next to the car though she would stay at the hospital because if work, Roderich was going to be driving them all home but for now he was talking with Toris and Feliks about church next Sunday.  Coming up to the car she stood and handed Lucas to Feliks, who cooed and started to rock him, as she put Kaida into her car seat first before putting Lucas in his after. 

 

Roderich asked if they were ready and she nodded and gave Elizabeta a hug as Mihaly got into the front seat.  She waved goodbye and sat in the middle as Toris and Feliks went to their own car to meet them home. Once settled in Roderich slowly started on to drive home, Estelle couldn't help but check on her kids every few minutes. Despite the fact that they were healthy it didn't stop her from worrying. 

 

But they were fine, surprisingly since they were born premature but her and her doctor thought that maybe they had gotten the date of when she had conceived the children wrong. After all the kids were born as if they were fully developed, not a hint that they were born early, and it made them confused. So Estelle looked back into her memory and tried to think of when she and Leon could have possibly not used a condom, before giving up. Besides that one time, they had been careful, so for their kids to have been conceived earlier then a condom must have broke.  Still it didn't matter now, she and her kids were healthy and it was all in the past. 

  
  


Life continued as it did before, just with the additions of Kaida and Lucas. Thankfully the slept most of the time for the first month or so, it gave her time to fully get back into a routine. Most of the weight that she gained over the months went away, though what was left had stayed in either her breasts or her hips.  She could definitely tell that she had more curves than before but she didn't really care, her clothes fit her so what did it matter. Still she did end up giving away all her maternity clothes to the people that needed it, specifically a sweet women named Maddi that she knew from the streets that recently got pregnant and her boyfriend left her.  Thankfully her brother was more than happy to help her and she wasn't living on the streets anymore, even if her brother had a bad case being annoying he was a good man and had been looking for her since he was eighteen and they were seperated by their parents. 

 

With most of her clothing now gone and what was left were either the stuff she had taken from Mathias all those years ago and the stuff she wore on the streets, which was to say they were sluttish before but now even more so with her having the curves to fit in them. So most days she wore Mathias’s old clothes, they fit her but just barely, the tee-shirts hung off her making her need the hoodies and the sweatpants were held up only by her hips. It wouldn't last she knew, so one-day after gathering up Kaida and Lucas, she nicknamed him Lu for short,  she went to the mall. It wasn't just the of course, Mihaly was going to meet some friends there to play at the arcade and she was going to take him there and make sure that an adult was going to be there.

 

She put the twins in their stroller and pushed them across the parking lot with Mihaly at her side. She was about ready to go on the elevator up the the food court when she was stopped, she looked down to see Mihaly looking at her with a shy look. Raising an eyebrow she brought the four of them to a bench and asked what was wrong.  

 

“It's about the adult that going to be there.”

 

Estelle wondered if this was where Mihaly told her that there was no adult that was going to be there but didn't say anything. She waited for her little brother to say what he wanted as he bit his lip. 

 

“Well it's not going to be an adult,  it's going to be more like three according Peter.”

 

Well that was better than she expected, at least she wasn't being lied to. The name Peter sound familiar but she didn't bother to try and figure it out, instead she got up and started her way to the elevators again after told Mihaly that she didn't mind, in fact having three adults was better than one anyway.  She stopped however as soon as she realized that she wasn't being followed, turning around again she saw that Mihaly was still sitting on the bench. Maneuvering the stroller back to facing the benche she walked back and sat down again. 

 

“Mihaly, little brother what is wrong. Do you not want to go to the arcade? Or is it the adults?”

 

She hoped that he would say that it was the arcade, she didn't know what she would do if he said it was the adults though she might end up getting out her knives.  Mihaly looked up and she saw horror in his eyes, he was older enough, smart enough, to know why she asked about the adults. 

 

“No it's not the adults, well it is but not interested he way your thinking.”

 

She stared into  his eyes for minute before nodding, she believed him though she still didn't know why he was hesitant about going up.  Finally Mihaly sighed and told her. 

 

“Remember that guy that you said you knew, well you said that he reminded you of someone but I think you knew him.  Anyway he's Peter’s dad and he is going to be there.”

 

Estelle blinked before nodding, Berwald was going to be there. Well she was a big girl, and she had been running away from him, and her past, for to long. She needed to get a grip and face him, standing up she made sure Mihaly knew that it was fine. That she didn't care who the adult was as long as it was an adult, she also told him that he was most like right, she possibly knew the guy but she was hoping that it was just a resemblance. She figured that it wasn't but she could hope. So finally the four of them were in the elevator and on there way to meet Mihaly’s friends.

 

The first thing she thought when she saw the adults with Mihaly’s friends was ‘There was no way the three of them together counted as adults.’ the second was that someone clearly thought that she needed to see her family because not only was Berwald there, but so was Lukas and Mathias. Some part of her was happy that Mathias wasn't in a coma anymore, that same part was also happy that he was up and not in a wheelchair like she thought he would be. Another part of her wanted to walk away but that part was pushed away as she followed Mihaly through the crowd.

 

It was one of the kids that saw them first, she was pretty sure that it was the one from the time she first saw Berwald. The kid yelled and shot towards them with a smile dragging another kid with him, Mihaly stepped to the side to avoid the tackle and walked forward. She heard the kid whine but her attention was on the three in front of her. Out of all of them Brewald was the most composed, how ever Estelle would admit that she was more than a little amused by his shocked expression. Mathias was staring at her like he couldn't believe that he was seeing her, his mouth was open and his eyes were wide, it might have been a trick of the light but she thought she saw tears in them. Lukas was also looking at her but his face was blank with shock, his eyes were going from her form, to Mihaly, then to her kids, and then repeating like he couldn't comprehend what he was seeing.

 

None of the kids beside Mihaly paid any attention to them, which she thought was a good thing since she did not plan on explaining why they were like this. Still she had shopping to do and their stareing was starting to be ridiculous, she rolled her eyes at the three and and stepped just a little bit to Mihaly. He stopped and turned to her, she got out her wallet and handed him some money before hugging him.

 

“I have shopping to do, meet me hear at one and we will talk about you staying here a little bit longer okay?”

 

Mihaly nodded, “Okay sister.”

 

Estelle couldn't help the smirk that creeped up onto her face when she heard, and saw, that Lukas had choked on whatever he was eating behind Mihaly. She saw the amusement in her little brothers eyes and knew he did that on purpose, she pinched his cheek and kissed it before leaving making sure that they didn't see her amusement.

 

Later she sat in the food court and was just giving Lu a bottle when she heard someone sit at her table, she looked up to see Mathias and then ignored him. It was thirty minutes before it was one and she wasn't surprised that one of the three went looking for her, what did was that it was Mathias. Maybe the three if them had grown up enough not to argue about something simple like talking to her. She laughed silently to herself, those three would fight over what was the best candy if they wanted to, before she laid Lu down in his part of the stroller.

 

She up straight and dragged her plate of Vegetable Low Mein in front of her, she had developed a craving when she was pregnant and it reminded her of Leon, she put some soy sauce on it before using her chopsticks to eat. Being here, in the mall eating Chinese with chopsticks, reminded her of when Leon was here teaching her how to use them. It ended in laughs and uneaten food but she did learn how to use them just well as he did. She shoved some noodles into her mouth and ignored the urge to cry, she waved her chopsticks at Mathias and asked him what did he want. 

 

Mathias smiled at her, the one from when she was a child and Lukas was there, and shrugged. She glared at him waiting for him to say something, anything from a question on how was she to who her kids were, but all she got was bigger smile. She sighed bur rolled her eyes fondly, Mathias it seemed never changed, and decided to ask her own question.

 

“When did you wake up?”

 

She set her utensil down as she stared at him, waiting. Mathias also looked at her before sighting, his smile was gone and he looked defeated, it made her guilty for a moment but she pushed that aside.

 

“A year after the accident. I woke up healed but you weren't there. When I asked, Gilbert said that after the social services worker put you into a home you ran away. He had been trying to get custody of you but because he wasn't related to you it was slow going. Then he got told you ran and they spent a few months looking for you but couldn't find you.”

 

She looked down at her food, Gilbert had been trying to get custody of her? The second Gilbert that babysat her and moreover cake and cookies and told stories when he did anything? That shocked her, she didn't think he cared enough about her to try but it made her feel better about the whole thing. She had thought that maybe none of Mathias friends had wanted to take her, to hear that Gilbert, one of the most annoying person she ever knew, had wanted brought down the bitterness that had clung to her. 

 

“Of course after getting out of the hospital I went home, I saw that more than a few of my clothing and cologne was gone.” Mathias looked at her pointedly but she ignored it with a turn of the head. Shaking his head Mathias continued, “I tried to look for you, but all I could find was that money and the family album missing. Then I looked for Lukas, figured that he at least needed to know that you ran or thought that maybe you went to him. You didn't and I found him with Berwald.”

 

“So that's why you are all together again.”

 

She felt guilty for causing Mathias trouble, but she didn't know how to say she was sorry. She missed him though and maybe she should start there, after all it wasn't like she could say anything else at least not in public. She didn't know if he had stopped but Mathias had a tendency to blurt out what one said to him if shocked enough. And she really didn't want the whole world, Mihaly specifically, to know that she once sold her body for money. It was bad enough that he knew that there was a good chance that she would most likely never see her Leon, the father of her children, every again.

 

“Yeah, that's how we all met back up. Then Berwald adopted two kids and here we are. What about how did-”

 

Mathias pointed at Lu and Kaida and then to where the arcade was causing her sigh. She looked around before answering.

 

“Like ya said I ran away, lived on streets and survived. Met Mihaly's parents through a church and they hired me to be a live in babysitter. As for Kaida and Lu, I'm going to guess you know how a baby is born.”

 

It was the shortest answer she could say right now and even then she didn't say anything at all. She didn't talk about how she survived on the streets, nor why she ran away in the first place. She didn't talk about being in that prison, didn't talk about how close she became to being touched in there. Never said that she was touched anyway just to survive. 

 

Mathias gave her a look, clearly he wanted to her everything but she was ready to tell him. Maybe she never would be. 

 

“And he calls you sister because?”

 

She rolled her eyes, “Because we are family. Turns out that my dad was a cheater. The results were Mihaly.”

 

Mathias eyes turned towards the arcade where they could see into a window where Mihaly was with Lukas, before turning to her. She shook her head, “As far as I know Lukas never knew, as for Mihaly he found out just after I found out.”

 

Mathias nodded and was quiet, she also went quiet and looked around, she didn't know where she and her family's relationship was going to go. She still had so much to handle from being on the streets and now being a single mom, she didn't know how adding Mathias, Lukas and Berwald into the mix would work. She knew that she was still up set with Lukas leaving, even if she acknowledge that she didn't have the full story of why, and that's would be hard. But a part of her hoped that maybe they could come together again. 


End file.
